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EDINBURGH FESTIVAL 2012

'Bound',
Dylan Dougherty

C Aquila
Venue, Monday 6August

Written for The List

A
young lad, his innocent girlfriend and estranged father are trapped
inside a freight train. What was meant to be an anarchic trip to
California has turned into an indefinite prison sentence. It sounds
like the ideal ingredients for an intensely claustrophobic play but
Dylan Dougherty's 'Bound' derails early on.

Neglectful
father, Banjo, is certainly an eccentric character but Pascal Maetens
swallows more lines than liquor. Nick Modrzewski seems uncomfortable
in his role as rebellious son Quinn, uncertain whether he is
downright callous or simply confused. Celine Verbeeck has a quiet
intensity but she struggles to make an impact alongside such erratic
performances.

The
script is not only garbled but uneven, jolting awkwardly between
stiff monologues and loose dialogue. The production's momentum swings
wildly, dependent on the actors' wavering confidence rather than the
play's emotional arc.

This
is a stuttering journey from Belgium company Noosfeer, rescued only
by some heartfelt singing from musician Dries Bongaerts. Give him a
solo show but maybe leave the rest behind.

******************************

'Maurice's
Jubilee', Nichola McAuliffe

Pleasance
Courtyard, Monday 6August

Written for The List

Maurice's
health might be fading but his love for the Queen, sparked by a
shared dance on Coronation night, remains undimmed. Will Maurice
manage to hold on for one last encounter with Her Madge?

The
production is grounded by a typically powerful performance from
Glover. Maurice's whole life glimmers in Glover's eyes, which seem to
search for past emotions now lost. Sheila Reid, as Maurice's long
suffering wife, flutters about like a starling looking for somewhere
to roost.

The
fantastical meeting between Maurice and the Queen (McAuliffe) is a
wonderful indulgence but it's also distracting. There's some dark
stuff nestling behind this play about a man more devoted to the
monarchy than his missus but it's never fully exposed. A softly
charming piece but a touch too whimsical to really set the heart
alight.

******************************

'Turn of
the Screw', Henry James. A new version by Benjamin Henson

Zoo
Southside, Tuesday 7August

Written for The List

Henry
James' slow-burning thriller, 'Turn of the Screw', demands an
exceptionally sophisticated approach. It's a sign of HookHitch
Theatre's determined ambition that they're willing to tackle this
piece at the Festival, where fast and furious often comes out on top.

The
two haunted children are played by hand-carved puppets, with beady
eyes and tight mouths. They seem fragile yet sinister too. These
puppets are controlled by the very ghosts that haunt James' spooky
country house. It's a smart twist that expresses the absolute power
these spectres now possess.

This
is an ensemble directed piece and the company manipulates the space
well. With a few thoughtful touches, HookHitch Theatre transform a
limited venue into a fluid and surprising space.

It's
all very smart but just a tad rushed. Benjamin Henson's adaptation is
assured but concertinaed. The acting also feels constrained. With
only an hour available to build towards such extreme emotions, the
performances veer towards melodrama. With just a little more time and
patience, this Screw could dig very deep indeed.

******************************

'Lingua
Frank', Jamie MacDonald and Harry Gooch

Playhouse
on the Fringe, Tuesday 7August

Written for The List

'Lingua
Frank' is supposedly a comic play but is really a sketch show,
stretched to snapping point. The scant plot revolves around bumbling
English Language tutor Frank (Harry Gooch), who has lost his
girlfriend and is on the brink of losing his job. A script as thin as
this requires some serious comic bolstering and the jokes just aren't
strong enough.

The
performers deliver their punchlines with gusto and their obvious
comic talent is underused. Gooch resembles a ginger-haired Stephen
Mangan and has a similar delivery, understated but sharp. Charlie
Hindley pours his considerable energy into playing Frank's arch
rival, Chest Armstrong, but even he flags as the script peters out.

The
comedy revolves around silly characters rather than genuinely funny
situations. Frank's colleague, Bollard (Garry Dobson) is a kilt
wearing and blazingly proud Scot. The gag is that he is also gay.
Jokes such as this feel grindingly obvious, even lazy. The company
valiantly hammer away at their punchlines but, more often than not,
it's a swing and a miss.

******************************

'Tenderpits',
Anthony Johnston

Underbelly,
7August

Written for The List

A
man dressed in a 'Where's Wally' hat and a huge, dirty nappy serves
dinner to two teddy bears. Surprisingly, this is the most accessible
scene in Anthony Johnston's willfully obscure one-man show.

'Tenderpits'
is ostensibly autobiographical but it's hard to make out Johnston's
story amidst all the screaming, wanking and singing. This is a
peculiarly choppy and angry show. Johnston speaks with animals,
dresses up as the Little Mermaid and talks about sex. A lot.

The
bare facts just about make it through. We discover Johnston was born
in Canada, moved to New York and found life tough. He is also
obsessed with computer games and wizardry. Sometimes these themes
seem very important and, at other times, completely irrelevant.

Johnston
has also suffered real tragedy, losing his sister and grandmother in
2010. Perhaps his grief is still too raw. At one point Johnston
screams out; 'Cancer kills!' It feels like he is using theatre as
therapy and makes for an extremely uncomfortable and alienating
production.

******************************

'I
Shall be Remembered', Elizabeth Woodman

Venue
150 @ EICC, Wednesday 8 August

Written for The List

The
stage at the EICC has been dipped in gold. Gliterring trinkets lie on
gold-rimmed furniture and gold-framed paintings line the walls. This
is the 18th
century court of King Louis XV and the domain of his savvy mistress,
Madame de Pompadour.

Despite
such sparkling props, 'I Shall be Remembered' is a rather dull and
one-dimensional one-woman show. There's little palpable direction
from Cathryn Parker, bar a few welcome blasts of courtly music. Other
than this, it's down to Dame Elaine Montgomerie to keep us engaged.
She is certainly a determined performer and there's a cheeky sparkle
in Montgomerie's eyes, as she breathlessly recalls Pompadour's
extraordinary rise to the top.

But
Elizabeth Woodman's script isn't sharp enough. It reads like a
meandering diary entry and is too long and too sentimental. Pompadour
was an extraordinary woman but she was also incredibly ruthless,
abandoning her family in favour of the King. Yet these compromising
characteristics are completely ignored, resulting in a skewed and
fluffy play.

******************************

'Inheritance
Blues', DugOut Theatre

Bedlam
Theatre, Wednesday 8August

Written for The List

You
don't have to dig deep to see just how talented DugOut Theatre
company is. 'Inheritance Blues' revolves around blues cover band, Hot
Air Ballues, who not only create rich music together but also share
some cracking chemistry. I've no doubt this company will one day be
the toast of the Fringe but this devised comedy doesn't quite hit the
mark.

There's
much to celebrate here. The band members weave their jokes and music
together with great skill, as if their words were part of the score.
The characters are nicely amped up and zen percussionist, Champagne
(Harry Williams), has some cracking one-liners; 'The ground is all
the air we need.'

These
segments are so slick they feel improvised and one senses some
rigorous direction from George Chilcott. It's a tough act to follow
and the straight play that runs alongside feels limp in comparison.
As the story crescendoes and the music dims, the show loses its
sparkle. A little more tweaking required but there are blue skies
ahead for this fine company.

******************************

'Executive
Stress/Corporate Retreat'

C Eca,
Thursday 9 August

Written for The List

A
really great interactive show creates a new environment so
convincing, the audience has no choice but to get involved.
'Exectuive Stress/Corporate Retreat', which unfolds in a black box
space packed with sharp-suited actors, doesn't quite manage this.
Devised by Australian company Applespiel, this show is stuck
somewhere between a play and a genuinely interactive experience. It
makes for an embarrassing rather than immersive affair.

The
actors aren't quite committed or consistent enough. Sometimes their
performances are gleefully quirky, as they play corporate bods driven
bonkers by stress. At other times, the actors come across as bland
but realistic office workers. It's tough for the audience to
surrender to the show, when surrounded by such uncertainty.

We're
frequently encouraged to endure a number of 'character building
exercises' but, with little input from the actors, it feels horribly
over-exposed. We alternate between playing the role of spectator and
performer and the constant jolts are unsettling. A promising idea but
much more rigour is required to set this concept free.

******************************

'Educating
Rita', Willy Russell

Assembly
George Square, Thursday 9August

Written for The List

You've
probably read 'Educating Rita' at school. If not, you've almost
certainly seen the classic film, starring Michael Caine and Julie
Walters. Willy Russell's play is practically in our blood stream. A
new version, then, needs to be something special. Whilst Tamara
Harvey's production is solid it's a touch too safe for the Fringe.

Claire
Sweeney plays Liverpudlian Rita, who blasts into Dr Frank's Open
University office demanding to 'learn everything'. Sweeney might not
have the chaotic energy of past interpretations but she's an honest
and endearing performer. There's a surprising softness to her Rita,
who seems more concerned with helping her drunken tutor than
bettering her own life.

But
it all feels a tad predictable. Although there's a gentle chemistry
between Rita and Dr Frank (Matthew Kelly), there are no real
fireworks. Kelly makes for a wonderful drunk but there's not enough
grit beneath his gravelly outbursts. A polished production but it
never reaches the emotional depths necessary to make this
over-exposed play feel fresh once more.